1CO 3

1 Corinthians 3:16

WEB

Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

BSB

Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

KJV

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Matthew Henry

Verses 16–17

1 Corinthians 3:16–17

Here the apostle resumes his argument and exhortation, founding it on his former allusion, You are God's building, Co1 3:9, and here, Know you not that you are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile (corrupt and destroy) the temple of God, him shall God destroy (the same word is in the original in both clauses); for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. It looks from other parts of the epistle, where the apostle argues to the very same purport (see Co1 6:13-20), as if the false teachers among the Corinthians were not only loose livers, but taught licentious doctrines, and what was particularly fitted to the taste of this lewd city, on the head of fornication. Such doctrine was not to be reckoned among hay and stubble, which would be consumed while the person who laid them on the foundation escaped the burning; for it tended to corrupt, to pollute, and destroy the church, which was a building erected for God, and consecrated to him, and therefore should be kept pure and holy. Those who spread principles of this sort would provoke God to destroy them. Note, Those who spread loose principles, that have a direct tendency to pollute the church of God, and render it unholy and unclean, are likely to bring destruction on themselves. It may be understood also as an argument against their discord and factious strifes, division being the way to destruction. But what I have been mentioning seems to be the proper meaning of the passage: Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? It may be understood of the church of Corinth collectively, or of every single believer among them; Christian churches are temples of God. He dwells among them by his Holy Spirit. They are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit, Eph 2:22. Every Christian is a living temple of the living God. God dwelt in the Jewish temple, took possession of it, and resided in it, by that glorious cloud that was the token of his presence with that people. So Christ by his Spirit dwells in all true believers. The temple was devoted and consecrated to God, and set apart from every common to a holy use, to the immediate service of God. So all Christians are separated from common uses, and set apart for God and his service. They are sacred to him - a very good argument this against all fleshly lusts, and all doctrines that give countenance to them. If we are the temples of God, we must do nothing that shall alienate ourselves from him, or corrupt and pollute ourselves, and thereby unfit ourselves for his use; and we must hearken to no doctrine nor doctor that would seduce us to any such practices. Note, Christians are holy by profession, and should be pure and clean both in heart and conversation. We should heartily abhor, and carefully avoid, what will defile God's temple, and prostitute what ought to be sacred to him.

Cross-references: 1Cor 3:9 · 1Cor 6:13 · Eph 2:22

Greek interlinear

οἴδατεoidateverb · 2nd · perfect · active · indic · plur

G3756

οὐou/oo/

+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but

, also (before a vowel) οὐκ , and (before an aspirate) οὐχ

Derivation: a primary word;

the absolute negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not

KJV: + long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.

See also G3364, G3372.

See also: G3361, G3364, G3372.

G3754

ὅτιhóti/hot'-ee/

as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why

Derivation: neuter of G3748 as conjunction;

demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because

KJV: as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.

See also: G3748.

G3485

ναόςnaós/nah-os'/

shrine, temple

Derivation: from a primary ναίω (to dwell);

a fane, shrine, temple

KJV: shrine, temple.

Compare G2411.

See also: G2411.

G2316

θεόςtheós/theh'-os/

X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward)

Derivation: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with G3588) the supreme Divinity;

figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very

KJV: X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).

See also: G3588.

G1510

εἰμίeimí/i-mee'/

am, have been, X it is I, was

Derivation: the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb;

I exist (used only when emphatic)

KJV: am, have been, X it is I, was.

See also G1488, G1498, G1511, G1527, G2258, G2071, G2070, G2075, G2076, G2771, G2468, G5600.

See also: G1488, G1498, G1511, G1527, G2258, G2071, G2070, G2075, G2076, G2771, G2468, G5600.

G2532

καίkaí/kahee/

and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet

Derivation: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force;

and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words

KJV: and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.

G3588

ho/ho/

the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc

, including the feminine , and the neuter τό in all their inflections;

Derivation: the definite article;

the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom)

KJV: the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

G4151

πνεῦμαpneûma/pnyoo'-mah/

ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind

Derivation: from G4154;

a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit

KJV: ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.

Compare G5590.

See also: G4154, G5590.

G3611

οἰκέωoikéō/oy-keh'-o/

dwell

Derivation: from G3624;

to occupy a house, i.e. reside (figuratively, inhabit, remain, inhere); by implication, to cohabit

KJV: dwell.

See also G3625.

See also: G3624, G3625.

G1722

ἐνen/en/

about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (… sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in)

Derivation: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537);

"in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.

KJV: about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (… sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in).

Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.

See also: G1519, G1537.

G4771

σύ/soo/

thou

Derivation: the personal pronoun of the second person singular;

thou

KJV: thou.

See also G4571, G4671, G4675; and for the plural G5209, G5210, G5213, G5216.

See also: G4675, G4571, G4671, G5209, G5210, G5213, G5216.

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